No sign of WT1 jab in vaccines crackdown

Assistant Director of Health Frank Chan revealed on Thursday that no Wilms tumour 1 (WT1) vaccines were found following police raids on 14 premises, resulting in the arrest of three individuals and the seizure of over 890 vaccine vials. The operation aimed to address concerns that certain health centers were falsely promoting the WT1 vaccine as a cancer prevention method.

Chan stated that authorities did not locate any WT1 vaccines or individuals who had received them during the raids. Among the seized items were around 20 suspected unregistered vaccines, primarily vitamins and amino acid health injections. Chan cautioned that individuals could face life-threatening risks from unregistered WT1 vaccines, as manufacturing or administration errors could lead to bacterial infections, potentially causing fever, inflammation, organ damage, or death.

Investigations revealed that a local firm supplied WT1 reagents to some medical centers, labeling them as research materials only, not for human use. The reagents were believed to have been sourced from overseas. Chan advised the public not to rely on advertisements easily and informed health authorities to remove the promotions, particularly from mainland social media platforms.

All medical advertisements are strictly regulated in Hong Kong, and authorities will take strict enforcement actions against any false advertising.